"Can you check Epona in?" Link asked the Rito Stable owner. With a nod, the stablemaster signalled the employees of the stable to take Epona away. "Treat her gently! Oh, and feed her a lot! She eats just like her owner does."

"Link?" a quiet voice suddenly called out. Link turned to see Zelda standing behind him, her eyes looking even more weary than before. "I want to leave now if that's alright with you."

"I don't see a problem with it," Link said, watching as the employees put his horse away. "You're the boss."

Zelda sighed at the sound of that, fidgeting with her tunic.

"I… I want to make a stop somewhere before we head to the Shrine of Resurrection," she said quickly. "There's something I want to do."

"Alright then," Link said without any extra input. Zelda frowned even more before taking out the Sheikah Slate. With a tap of the button, Link felt himself dissipate before forming once again. The air had become much warmer as the winds had become more peaceful. Link blinked a few times before looking at his surroundings.

"Kakariko Village?" Link asked. Zelda nodded as she began to walk down the hill, away from the usual shrine warp. Link slowly followed as the two made their way down, Dorian and his kids waving happily as other Sheikah members greeted them. Before long, the two stood in front of the Sheikah elder's familiar home.

"If you could remain here for a moment," Zelda said, almost sounding professional. Link shrugged as he watched Zelda walk up the stairs. While he knew he had chosen to just follow Zelda's lead from now on, he couldn't help but wonder what on Earth she was doing.

With an opening of the door, Zelda walked into the large open room of the home. She slowly slid the door close behind her.

"Zelda, dear," an old voice called out to her. "I can see it in your eyes. What's wrong, dear girl?"

"Impa…" Zelda called out with a sad smile, tears beginning to run down her face. "Can you do something for me?"

...

She sure is taking a while, Link thought to himself as he sat on the steps outside. The moment the thought occurred to him, the sound of footsteps could be heard behind him. He turned, expecting to see Zelda's brilliantly long, golden hair, however the hair he saw was white.

"Oh, good morning Paya," Link said as the girl walked past him towards the stones, still holding apples inside of them. "Cleaning stones again?"

"Why yes, Link, I am," Paya said quietly as she continued to scrub away. Link couldn't help but notice the sudden coldness in Paya's voice.

"Everything alright, Paya?" Link asked. Paya sighed as she gave Link a worried look.

"Link, do you remember when you visited that time a few months ago?" Paya asked. Link thought for a moment, remembering back to the last time he had visited that had to do with Paya.

"Was this when you asked me how I felt about Zelda?" he asked slowly. Paya nodded.

"I believe I told you being in denial would come back to you," Paya said as she went back to cleaning the stones. "I… I truly am worried for you two."

Link raised an eyebrow in worried confusion. What did she mean by that?

"Paya, what do you mean? Am I missing-?"

Before Link could finish his sentence, the knight felt the gentle brush of someone walking past him. He looked up, expecting once again to see Zelda's long, flowing hair. However, all Link saw was the back of a worn down Hylian Tunic, and a short bob of golden hair.

"Alright Link," Zelda said quietly. "Let us be off."

Link blinked a few times, staring at Zelda's now short hair before Zelda began to walk off. He stood, quickly glancing over at Paya before running after the girl. Before he had a chance to say anything, however, Zelda had tapped on a button and the two disappeared in a flash of blue.

…..

The two formed inside the large rectangular room. The dust and dirt that filled the Shrine of Resurrection had only grown, the grey walls were smeared, the orange lights that speckled the walls were beginning to dim, and the large cocoon-like bulb on the roof protruding downwards onto where Link had first awoken had began pulsating blue.

"Zelda, hold on a moment," Link continued, watching the shortened ends of her hair now dance around her neck as Zelda began thoroughly inspecting the room. "Why did you-?"

"Link, look!" Zelda suddenly called out, pointing towards something. Link looked, seeing the terminal that he had first picked up the Sheikah Slate in. It was once again orange instead of its usual blue. Something was definitely different. Though this did intrigue Link, he had other things on his mind.

"Yeah, I see it, but Zelda-" Link called out, however Zelda had already begun walking towards it, trying to see if the Slate would allow her to put it in.

"Link, it won't respond to me. Come try this," Zelda called out, holding the Sheikah Slate out to him. Link frowned, slowly walking over to take the Sheikah Slate away from the girl's slender fingers.

Link gently placed the Slate into the orange glowing terminal. The terminal accepted, sucking the Slate in as it turned embedded itself into the dock. With a bright glow of blue, the terminal beeped. Link and Zelda stared at the docking station before another glow of blue showed on the other end of the room.

Lights began to twist and weave before a second object began floating a distance away. Link and Zelda looked at each other before slowly walking towards the floating object. The item floated just a few inches off its pedestal, the handle decorated with a red string and the top suddenly branching out into four prongs, each prong head looking like a type of animal.

"These each represent the four Divine Beasts!" Zelda said excitedly, peering around the Sheikah object. Reaching a hand out, Zelda attempted to grab the item however she was blown back, landing a few feet away from where she once stood.

"Zelda!" Link called out as he ran over to inspect her, however Zelda quickly brushed him aside, standing on her own two feet once again.

"Link… It has to be you," she said, ignoring the fact that Link was trying to help her. Link, frowning as Zelda ignored his attempts at help, looked on towards the floating Sheikah relic.

Link took a few steps forward, closing the distance between himself and the relic. With each step, the powerful aura of the relic began to weigh in on the knight's shoulders. Was this the trial? This was certainly different from the other trials he was given beforehand…

Link stood in front of the relic, slowly reaching his hand out. The knight's fingers wrapped around the handle of the relic, its white tassels flowing in the slight breeze of the shrine. Link pulled the relic towards himself off the pedestal it had been floating on as he held it in his hands.

Immediately, a rush of pain rushed through Link's body. Burns, shattering, spikes, every ounce of his body seared with unimaginable pain. Link gritted his teeth. It was as if he were being sliced and stabbed all at once all over. What was going on?

"Link!?" Zelda suddenly called out worriedly. "Link!? Link, what's wrong!?"

Link collapsed to his knees as his breathing became more intense. Zelda watched as the knight writhed in agony.

"Link, let it go!" Zelda suddenly called out. However Link ferociously shook his head.

"I can't!" Link called out in pain. Link screamed in pain as the sensation became more and more painful. Zelda ran over as she flew onto her knees next to the Hylian Champion. "It won't let me release it!"

Suddenly, multiple gashes appeared around Link's body as blood pooled from each and every part. Burns began to appear as a large what seemed to be an impalement wound punctured Link's chest. A red aura began to circle around Link. He felt his heart pounding in his ears.

Almost as soon as it arrived, the red aura disappeared as Link's breathing became heavy, gasping for air as he reached his free hand towards his bleeding chest.

"Link… Link… Link…" Zelda called out repeatedly as she inspected the wounds on his arms. Her hands were shaking as fear filled her eyes. What kind of trial was this? Was this really the power of a Sheikah? Could a Sheikah really cause the Hylian Champion to randomly begin bleeding uncontrollably?

Suddenly, as if to answer her question, the room began to fill with a quiet, yet powerful voice. Link did his best to look up. He recognized this; he had heard similar speeches a hundred and twenty times beforehand:

"I am Maz Koshia. I now address the one who wishes to master a Divine Beast, and clear the Calamity Ganon from the land of Hyrule once and for all. To undertake this task requires unwavering dedication. That weapon defeats foes with one hit. However, the reverse is also true, as its wielder will also fall to a single strike. You are feeling the combined pain of each and every Champion before their untimely demise. If you take, even a single hit, you too shall fall.

You can only use this weapon's ability twice within a set period of time. Only when it is glowing. When enough time passes, the weapon will regain its sheen along with its power.

At the four marked locations within the Great Plateau… Defeat all monsters present to prove your power. This is your trial, Hylian Champion.

Begin."

...